Michelle Icard

Just when communication with kids growing into their tween and teen years becomes more crucial, it simultaneously becomes increasingly challenging. What tween wants to talk to their parents about personal hygiene, sex or social struggles? Michelle Icard has written a guide for those years when finding out about your child's day or who they've been hanging out with is like pulling teeth, demonstrating that it is possible — with the right strategies. There was lots of great information here, as well as suggested tips and realistic conversation starters. Due to waiting lists at the library I had to return it before I had a chance to absorb as much as I wanted, but I'll be requesting again.… (más)

I was not in a NF mood, so I got a boost from the audiobook; I'm very glad I did. Some of this was validating (the parenting approach I consciously chose at the start has apparently evolved well in some areas) and some helped me recognize some friction points with my teen and preteen and offered helpful advice and encouragement for navigating these years without letting my parental emotions take center stage.

Icard makes fewer generalizations than many parenting books, although there were still a few things about teens she claimed were universal but either don't apply to homeschoolers or maybe just don't apply to my teen and preteen (yet)(like that they all want to have lots of money and buy things, they all care about name brand clothes), but most rang true for my family. This is, like most parenting books I've read, geared towards middle/upper middle/upper-class families, but not ridiculously so. Most suggestions will, I think, apply to most families, at least to some degree.

Tidbit: Icard went to my alma mater, and we had the same major (although she graduated the year before I started).… (más)